Cove Point opponents, supporters flood state with comments

Jamie Smith Hopkins, The Baltimore Sun

Opponents and supporters of plans to export liquefied natural gas from a Southern Maryland facility flooded state regulators with more than 60,000 letters Wednesday, the deadline for public comments on one aspect of the proposal.

The Cove Point complex is currently an import plant. Energy company Dominion, which owns it, is seeking federal approval to construct an export facility there and state approval for the power plant the operation would need.

Both the environmental and other groups opposing the plans and the unions supporting it delivered boxes full of letters to the state Public Service Commission on Wednesday — more than 60,000, the agency said. Before then, the agency said, it had received nearly 1,000 letters giving feedback in the case.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network said the Stop Cove Point Coalition delivered 38,000 letters opposing the project. Dominion said construction workers with Maryland building trade unions brought about 20,000 letters in support of it, which the company said came on the heels of supportive letters from elected officials and others from Calvert County.

The Public Service Commission is targeting May 30 for a decision but said it could take more time to fully consider the case.